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End-of-life Alzheimer's care

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable brain disorder that eventually results in death. The final stages of the disease can be very difficult for families, friends and caregivers who are not prepared for what will happen.

As Alzheimer's patients near the end of their lives, their needs for assistance may increase dramatically. Patients often lose their abilities to talk, walk and eat. Their recollection of people and places will deteriorate even more. In general, they may fail to make sense of the world. This transformation can be heartbreaking for those who have seen patients through their disorders.

However, maintaining care for Alzheimer's patients -- even when on the brink of death -- is extremely important. Even if patients can no longer make sense of the world around them, they can still feel the basic emotions of love, sadness, lonliness and stability. Even when providing care becomes more difficult, maintaining a solid support network for the Alzheimer's patient takes on an entirely new meaning.

In this section, we'll review what you can expect as Alzheimer's patients near the end of their lives. We will also review the basics of grief counseling, and how survivors of patients can begin to move on after their loved ones have passed on.